LCC's Military Medic to Paramedic Program Highlighted at White
House Forum

April 30, 2013

LANSING, Mich. - Lansing Community College’s unique program to transition
military medics to civilian jobs and advanced education was a focus during
today’s White House Forum on Military Credentialing and Licensing in
Washington, D.C.

Margie Clark, Dean of Health and Human
Services, Elva Revilla, Associate Vice President for External
Affairs and Development, and Lisa Ferris-McCann, Program
Director for the Emergency Medical Technician and Paramedic
Programs, presented at the Forum in the Advanced Medical
Operations and Emergency Medical Services Industry Roundtables,
which focused on developing strategies to transfer military
training and experience into credit towards nursing, physician
assistant, and EMS certifications and licensure.

LCC’s Military Medic to Paramedic Program
launched as a pilot in January 2012 with five veterans to help
them transition from military medics to civilian paramedics,
and, if interested, to the college’s nursing program or a
physician’s assistant program at a partner university.
Previously denied classroom credit for their prior medical
training, these medics can now be credited for their efforts as
they pursue civilian medical certification and licensure. The
paramedic program, typically two semesters plus an internship
for a certificate of achievement, can be completed by these
individuals in five to six months.

Since the program launched, the number of
students has grown. The current class, set to graduate on May
24, has 10 veterans. A third class, scheduled to begin in
August, has 40 students with a waiting list.

In a related note, last Friday Frederick E.
Vollrath, the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Readiness and
Force Management for the U.S. Department of Defense, visited LCC
to see the program first hand. He was joined by U.S. Senator
Carl Levin, who met with program leaders earlier this year and
shared his impressions with Secretary Vollrath.

The Secretary noted that LCC’s program is
unique in that it goes beyond credentialing to advanced
education and employment. He lauded community colleges for their
role in preparing America’s workforce.

The White House Forum discussions built on
the efforts of the President’s Military Credentialing and
Licensing Task Force, and the First Lady’s call-to-action to our
nation’s governors in February to take legislative or executive
action to help our troops get the credentials they need. The
President’s Military Credentialing and Licensing Task Force, led
by the Department of Defense, is charged with identifying
military specialties that readily transfer to high-demand jobs;
working with civilian credentialing and licensing associations
to address gaps between military training programs and
credentialing and licensing requirements; and providing service
members with greater access to necessary certification and
licensing exams.